Grip-tread for pneumatic tires.



PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

W. J. $MITH.

GRIP TREAD FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24. 1905.

Quorum;

UNITED STATES Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

'WIL'LIAM J. SMITH, OF CANASTOTA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LESLIE G. FISCHER, OF CANASTOTA, NEW YORK.

GRlP-TREAD FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,673, dated June 20, 1905. Application filed February 24, 1905. Serial No. 247,152.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I,WILLIAM J. SMITH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Canastota, in the county of Madison and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grip-Treads for Pneumatic Tires; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to antislipping devices adapted for use in connection with pneumatic tires; and the object of the invention is to provide a chain of elliptical cup-shaped members which are embedded in the outer rubber casing of the tire in such a manner that if the vehicle is making a sharp turn the elliptical cup shaped members will have a tendency to grip'themselves in the ice, or if it is a bicycle-wheel in the act of making a sharp turn the pointed end of the elliptical cupshaped members will dig themselves in the ice.

Another object of the invention is to make the elliptical cup shaped members in two parts, one of which is embedded in the outer casing of the tire and also is adapted to receive the other half of said member, and is, furthermore, to provide the two parts of the antislipping device with catch and locking de-- vices, whereby the two parts will be held securely together.

A further object is to provide the elliptical members with base-plates, said plates being provided with slot-and-link devices, whereby the plates may be joined in sequence, so that the chain of elliptical cup-shaped members will extend the entire circumference of the wheel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the cup-shaped members with crossbars, said bars being convoluted in edge View, which affords more efficient means to keep the wheel from slipping.

The cup-shaped members may be made circular instead of elliptical, and also the invention may be made in a chain-like form and locked to the tire in any suitable manner; but the preferred form is to embed each cupshaped member in the outer casing of the tire. The base-plate of the cup-shapedmember may be made smaller and hexagonal in shape and linked together in rows, forming a network of cup-shaped members, which may be looked upon the pneumatic tire in any suitable manner.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists in the novel construction and in the peculiar arrangement, combination, and adaptation of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the characters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which drawings such characters indicate like parts in the views, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a part of a wheel, showing the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the cup-shaped members. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of the removable part of the device, partly broken away. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the embedded part of the device. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a fragmental view showing the locking device at one end of the modified form. Fig. 9 is a fragment-a1 view showing the locking device at the other end of the modified form. Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line 1-0 10 of Fig. 6. Fig. 11 is a detail view of a modified form wherein the device is made square, showing the two plates disassembled. Fig. 12 is a plan View of the form shown in Fig. 11, and Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line 12 12 of Fig. 12.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letters and numerals, A indicates the inner tube of an ordinary pneumatic tire, and B the outer casing. Embedded in the outer casing is an elliptical flange O of a rectangular base-plate D. Reaching across at each end of the elliptical-shaped flange are convoluted vertically-disposed bars E, having cut-away portions E at each end thereof. At one end of the elliptical-shaped flange is a slot F, adapted to receive the locking-disk G of the corresponding elliptical- IO shaped ring G, and at the other end of the elliptical-shaped flange is a stud H, adapted to be inserted into an aperture H in the corresponding end of the elliptical-shaped ring G. 5

locked together by referring to the accompanying drawings. To prevent the ellipticalshapedfiange from being pushed toward the center of the tire, a bead I is provided at the top of said flange. Reaching across the middle of the elliptical-shaped ring G is a convoluted vertically-disposed bar J, similar to the bar E. To allow the said ring to be inserted in the elliptical-shaped flange C, notches K are provided on the lower edge of said ring to register with the cut-away portions E of the bar E. To allow the said cup-shaped members to be linked together in chain-like form, slots L are provided at meeting edges of the base-plates D, said slots being provided for the purpose of receiving the connecting-links L. Thus it willbe understood how saiol'me mbers are connected together by referring to the different figures of the drawings.

M are shown to lock the ellipticaleshaped ring in place. In these figures the elliptical-shaped ring is severed at one end, and each meeting end of the severed portion is provided with lugs N, said lugs being adapted to be received by the notch N at one end of the longest intersecting bar M, whereby when the same is pushed down the curved portion of the said end will have a tendency to expand the elliptical-shaped ring. At the opposite end of the longest bar M lugs O are provided for the purpose of engagement with an aperture 0' and a notch O to prevent the intersecting bars from beinglifted out of place. At right angles to the longest bar M apertures Q are provided upon said elliptical -shaped ring, which are to be engaged by lugs Q upon the inner circumference of said flange ,0, thereby preventing the elliptical-shaped ring from being removed.

Figs. 11, 12, and 12 show another modification wherein two plates 1 and 2 are shown. Said plates are square and clamp the outer rubber casing of the tire between them by means of a screw-bolt 3, having a circumferential flange 4:, which is adapted to seat itself in a depression 5 formed in the upper plate 2. The upper plate 2 is provided with a rectangular flange 6 and radial ribs 7 joining at 5 h orner o d flan P oj in p Thusit will be understood how the two parts of the elliptical-shaped cup are securely In Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 1.0 intersecting barsfrom the bottom plate and through the outer casing at each corner are sockets 8, which receive the downwardly-projecting lugs 9. Thus it will be seen how the modified form of device is .clamped about the circumference of the wheel and also how the upper plate is prevented from having lateral or pivotal movement.

From the foregoing description of the invention the operation and detailed construction will be readily understood, and of course it will be distinctly understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and combination of parts other than that illustrated in the accompanying drawings without in any way departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Ha n thus fu ly des rib d my in nt o what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In adeviceof the character described, the combination of the inner and outer casings of a pneumatic tire, a base-plate inserted between Said e ins e fla g int gral wi ai aserl a eae ne rem nee s d ofsaid ange to h th sa er havin u -away norbione a the en ther f, an llipti al heped in da ta b ins ted betw en a an n n ch s u n the QW r eirenmference of said elliptical-shaped ring to regisr wit t cu -a ay pe ne Qt sa d ba as set forth.

2. In adevice of the character described, the combination of the inner and outer casings of a pneumatic tire, a hasesplate inserted between S ea in a fla g in e al wi h sa d ba plate, a head around said flange to prevent the l tt f em being u ed t a th enter o etir ba re h n r m m si Qf sa an t the oth a d ba s having u -awa portions at the ends thereof, an ellipticalhap d ng adapted to b nsert w en sa d an a a r aeh ne" a r t c n of said ring, notches in said ring to engage the u a ay p rt ns he b r f aid flan and means to lock the two elliptical-shaped members together, as set forth.

3. In a device of the character described, the a i n with he inner and outer ca in of a series of base-p lateSv adapted to be inserted between said inner and outer casings,elliptical.- hap fl nge in eg al w th aid b se-p at m an e p v nt aid plates and fl ng rom being ushed toward the center of the tire, a sl in each flang a corre p din lyh p rin a apted t be inserted e ween ai fla g s, m n t n n o sai memb r to hold them securely together, and means at t o her end at id corresp ndi g y-shap t e ga e aid slot in a fla es. as set forth.

4:. In a device of the character described, the combination with the inner and outer casings, a series of base-plates linked together by slotan -li k devices, s d pl tes b n edap ed to be inserted between said inner and outer casings, elliptical-shaped flanges integral with each base-plate, means to prevent said plates and flanges from being pushed toward the center of the tire, bars reaching from one side of said flanges to the other and having cutaway portions at the ends thereof, slots in theends of said flanges, elliptical-shaped rings adapted to be inserted between said flanges,

10 means at one end of said flanges to securely hold said rings in place, and means to engage said slots to lock said elliptical-shaped members in place, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. SMITH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. WORDEN, F. B. HEUSTS. 

